Compartment sleeping-car.



E. FLAGG.

COMPARTMENT SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. H, IBIS. m ao Patented May 1, 1917.

3; 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- ATTORNEYS E. FLAGG.

COMP-ARTMENT SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. 1913.

Patent-ed May 1, 19117.

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ERNEST FLA GG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMPARTMENT Application filed November 1 To all whom itmag concern:

, Be it known that I, ERNEST FLAoo, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, borough of Richmond, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Compartment Sleeping-Car, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to sleeping cars, and has reference more particularly to a compartment type of sleeping car.

An object thereof is to obtain a greater efficiency and. economy of floor space and perfect privacy to the occupants of the compartments.

Another object of my invention is the elimination of upper berths whereby the objectionable features and the discomforts' in the use of the upper berth are eliminated, not only without decreasing the berth capacity of the car, but a gain in floor space between the berths is obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car in .which the compartments are easily convertible from day service to night service compartments.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compartment sleeping car in which the entire window space of each compartment remains unobstructed when said compartment is transformed for night service.

I obtain the above objects by providing a car structure having a plurality of independent compartments, the consecutive compartmentshaving the floor at different levels, and berths associated with each of said compartments and adapted to be placed in operative or in inoperative position.

he invention consists of the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and fully set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a sleeping car structure embodying my invention showing the compartments arrange for night service;

Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the compartments arranged for day service;

Specification of Letters Patent.

(1 plurality of SLEEPING-CAR.

Patented May 1, iota.

7, 1913. Serial No. 801,523.

- understood that the separating wall portions, as well as the raised floor portions, may be made to move relatively in any desired manner to obtain the transformation of the compartments from day service into night service. Furthermore, the free window space extending permanently through the entire length of each compartment,

whether the same is being used for day or night, service, may be provided with any suitable seating means, removable therefrom or fixed as may derstood that sufficient space must be left between the seats, if they are to be fixed on the permanent free space of the compartment.

Referring to the drawings, 6 represents the longitudinal beams of the car 7 which carry the floor 8. The side and end walls 9 and 10 respectively are preferab y made of sheet steel, thereby reducingt eir thickness and increasing the inner capacity of the car. The upper structure -11 of the'car is of customary design and provided with the customary ventilating system, not shown in the drawings. Extending adjacent one side of the car is a fixed longitudinal partition 12 which is extended into transverse partitions 13 adjacent each end of the carand whereby a longitudinal corridor 14 and an end corridor 15 are formed. Within the space formed by the partitions 12 and 13, a second permanent longitudinal partition 16, shorter than partition 12, is provided adjacent the partition 12 and parallel to the same, the said partition 16 being remote from the side wall 9 of the car far enough to accommodate herebetween berths of normal length.

The inclosure formed by the end partition 13 and the partition 16 is subdivided into a compartments by means of transverse partitions 17 movably mounted in the side wall 9 and the partition 16 (see Fig. 2). Then said compartments are arbe desired. It is unranged for the day service, said partitions are in substantially vertical position, and a portion of each partition is formed of a casing structure 19 having a hingedcover 20, each of said casings inclosing therein a berth structure 21. The alternate compartments formed by "the transverse partition 17 have the floor 18 raised above the floor 8 and are accessible from the corridor by means of steps 22. This raised floor portion 18 in each compartment forms a receptacle subdivided by means of a separating floor 23 and walls 24 into four parts. The two upper parts 25 each receive a berth structure 26 slidably mounted therein and adapted to slide or to roll on the floor 23 through the medium of the means 27 and 28 provided at the rear and front of the berth structure. Each lower part 29 is preferably made to receive drawers 30 having substantially the width and length of the berth structure 26 and wherein the clothes of the occupants of the compartment can be accommodated if desired, or for any other suitable purpose. The berth structure 19 and 26 is locked in position, when the compartment is in day service, by any suitable means under the control of the man in charge of the sleeping car. The transformation of the compartments from the arrangement for day service to that of night service is obtained by forming the transverse partitions 17 of several parts, of which the portion 31 is hinged with one side to the unmovable ortion 32 and the other side locked to the erth structure 19 in any suitable way when the said portion 31 and said berth structure 19 are in vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2. The portion 33 of the partition 17 is hinged at one end to the berth structure 19, and the other end is hinged to one end of the movable portion 34' of the floor 18, the portion 34 being locked in position to the movable portion of the floor 18 by any suitable means, as indicated at 35. The berth structure 19 is rotatably mounted on trunnions 36 engaging the wall 9 and partition 16; and when all parts of the partition 17 and the portion of the floor 34 are unlocked so as to be free to move, the portions 31 of each of the partitions are swung to av substantially horizontal position (see Fig. 1). The berth structure 19 is tilted on its trunnions from the vertical position to the horizontal therewith carrying the portion 33 of the partition 17; and in consequence of the movement of the portion 33 the portion 34 of the floor 18 moves therewith and assumes the position shown in Fig.

' 1, where it can be locked. The cover 20 of the berth structure 19 is then moved on its hinge to the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, and brought into engagement with the portion 31 of the partition 17 and locked thereto by anysuitable means, as shown at 37. The berth structure 19 can then be floor area.

locked in its horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and remain so until placed in its original position, as shown in Fig. 2. The displacement of the cover 20 will uncover the berth 21 and place the same in operative position.

This displacement of the portions of the partition 17 and portions of the floor 18, as well as the cover of the berth structure 19, transforms the compartment from a substantially rectangular shape in cross section into a cross shape, each independent of the other. The displacement of the portion 34 of the floor 18 unlocks and partly uncovers the berth structure 26, which can then be placed in proper position, as shown in Fig. 1, and locked by any suitable means 38. This displacement of the portions 32 of the partitions 17 and the portions 34 of the floor 18 reduces the floor space in each of the compartments having the raised floor by an amount substantially equal to the two portions 34 of the floor, leaving the fixed portion of the floor 18 free through its entire length. The width of the floor space left free is substantially equal to the width of the window structure 39. In the other compartments, the free portion of the floor 8 is reduced in width by the movement of the berth structure 26 to the same width as the window structure 39 provided in said compartments.

It will be noticed that the berths 21 in the compartments having the raised floor are above the berth structure 28 in the other compartments when the said berths are in operative position (as shown in Fig. 1), but the said lower and upper berths'are in separate compartments-anda-re not only accessible from difierent compartments, as seen by the drawings and as described, but are perfectly isolated from one another by means of the parts of the partitions 17, in combination with the floor portions and the covers 20 of the berth structures 19. The compartments when arranged for night service, as can be seen, each have two berths but both on the same level, ample space being left between the two berths, and the access to same being made easy in'view of the fact that the berth structure 19, which is positioned in reality above the berth structure 26, is accessible from the compartments having a raised floor portion as described.

This arrangement of berths and compart-- ments not only give greater privacy but also gives better access to the berths than the ordinary car structure in use at present, .and it increases the number ofberths per same For example, in an ordinary 74- foot car in use at present only twenty persons can be accommodated. In a structure of a car as disclosed there are ten double rooms and two single end rooms, as can be seenin Fig. 4. A lower berth structure 96 in this 1 ing doors 43 provided in the partition 12. The floor space 44 left free in each of the compartments can have, if desired, permanent seats fixed thereto, or collapsible seats removable and placed during night service into the drawers 30 The modification shown in Fig. 5 is different from that shown in Fig. 4 in that each compartment has only a single berth. This is obtained by dividing each compartment having two berths by means of a transverse partition 45. This partition may be provided with a locking door 46 in addition to the door 47 leading to each compartment part 48 from the corridor 1%. This division of the compartments necessitates an increase in width over the ordinary compartment having two berths. In consequence, the number of compartments having a single berth in a car of normal length will amount to only sixteen; but the permanent free floor space in each of the compartments remains substantially the same as in the compartments having two berths. This provision will eliminate the necessity of engaging two berths when only one is desired, and in engaging a single compartment, one and onehalf berths will be paid for instead of two. This structure therefore will not only permit a more economical single compartment, but, at the same time, will permit the railway company to accommodate a larger number of persons desiring to have a single compartment for themselves and obtain a larger return from said compartments for the same floor space.

Again, different arrangements of compartments can be made, if desired. For example, when twenty-two persons are accommodated, the ten double-berth compartmentsare each six feet wide, the two end compartments being four feet six inches wide. \Vhen accommodating compartmentshaving single berths, each compartment will be four feet, three and three-fourths inches wide. Further, arrangement can be made for a certain number each of double and single-berth compartments.

From the above description it can be easily seen that not only greater privacy and better accommodations are obtained by a car constructed according to my ideas, but a larger floor space is left free during the night service of the compartments, and particularly space along the windows, permitting a free access of light and air.

It is evident that various changes may be made and modifications resorted to .in the construction and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction shown.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A sleeping car having a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of compartments formed of transverse partitions each communicating with said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor, and berths in inoperative position accommodated in said raised floor and the partitions of said compartments.

2. A sleeping car having a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of consecutive compartments each communicating With said corridor, the alternate compartments having the fioor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths forming part of the partitions separating the compartments; and berths normally located under said raised floor portion of the compartments.

A sleeping car having a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of consecutive compartments communicating with said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths forming part of the separating partitions of the compartments and accessible from the compartments having the raised floor; and berths under the said raised floor portion being accessible from the other compartments.

4. In a sleeping car, longitudinal and transverse partitions forming a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of independent compartments each communicating with said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths forming part of said transverse partitions and accessible when in operative position from the compartments having the raised floor; and berths normally positioned under said raised floor portions and accessible when in operative position from the other of said compartments.

5. In a sleeping car, longitudinal and transverse partitions forming a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of consecutive independent compartments each communicating with said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths in the transverse partitions separating said compartments and in said raised floor portion, said .corridor and a plurality of consecutive independent compartments each communicating With said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths for each of said compartments; and means associated With the transverse partition separating said compartments whereby said compartments are transferred from a rectangular shape in cross section to a cross shape.

7. A sleeping-car having a plurality of independent compartments, the consecutive compartments having their floors at difierent levels in the day or the night service of the car; and berths in the said compartments.

8. In a sleeping car, longitudinal and transverse partitions forming a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of consecutive independent compartments each communicating With said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths in each of the compartments; means for placing said berths in operative or in inoperative position, the berths of the compartments having the raised floor portion being above the berths of the other compartments When said berths are in operative position; and means for maintaining said berths in said position.

9. A sleeping-car having a plurality of independent compartments. the alternate compartments having their floors raised above the floors of the other compartments; berths normally located under the raised floors of said alternate compartments and Which berths are accessible from the other I compartments.

10. In a sleeping car, longitudinal and transverse partitions forming a longitudi-' nal corridor and a plurality of consecutive independent compartments each communicating With said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths in each of the compartments disposed transversely of the corridor; means for placing said berths in operative or in inoperative position, each of said compartments having windows, the berths of the compartments having the raised floor portion being above the berths of the other compartments When said berths are in operative position; and means for maintaining said berths in said position, said Windows remaining unobstructed when said berths are in operative position.

11. In a sleeping car, longitudinal and transverse partitions forming a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of consecutive inde:

pendent compartments each communicating With said corridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the fioor of the corridor; berths in each of the compartments disposed transversely of the car length; means for placing said berths in operative or in inoperative position, the berths of the compartments having the raised floor portion being above the berths of the other compartments When said berths are in operative position; means for maintaining said berths in said position, each of said compartments having a Window remaining unobstructed when said berths are in operative position, and said berths being so arranged that When the same are in operative position a portion of the floor space in each of the compartments remains free, the Width of Which floor space is substantially equal to the Width of the Window in the compartment.

12. In a sleeping car, a pair of longitudinal partitions and a plurality of transverse partitions intermediate the side Wall of the car and one of said longitudinal partitions, the other of said longitudinal partitions,

-With the other Wall, forming a longitudinal corridor in said car, said transverse partitions forming a plurality of consecutive independent compartments each communicating With said corridor, the alternate compartment having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor; berths in each of the compartments; means for placing said berths in operative or in inoperative: position whereby the shape of said consecutive compartments is changed; and toilets for each of said compartments provided intermediate said longitudinal partition.

13. A sleeping car having a longitudinal corridor and a plurality of consecutive compartments each communicating With saidcorridor, the alternate compartments having the floor raised above the floor of the corridor;"berths in each of the compartments; means for placing said berths in operative or in inoperative position; and means for malntaimng sald berths 1n the operative position and whereby said compartments change their shape.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ERNEST FLAGG. 

